Russia’s attorney general says it has launched international terrorism proceedings over the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. Moscow justified the move by saying that the damage to the pipelines had “inflicted significant economic damage on Russia”.
“By September 26, 2022, intentional acts have been committed in the area of the island of Bornholm aimed at damaging the gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 laid at the bottom of the Baltic Sea,” the Russian prosecutor’s office said. said on his Telegram channel on Wednesday.
Gazprom stopped deliveries
Gazprom pumped gas to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline until the end of August, but then stopped those supplies, citing technical issues that reportedly could not be resolved due to sanctions. The German federal government called the reason advanced and suspected political motives behind the supply freeze.
The German federal government called the reason advanced and suspected political motives behind the supply freeze. Nord Stream 2 was also filled with Russian gas. Moscow has repeatedly offered the pipeline in recent months as a possible replacement for Nord Stream 1, but Germany has not certified the pipeline. Commissioning has been out of the question since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Russia calls for UN Security Council meeting
Russia is also calling for a special session of the UN Security Council on the leaks in the pipelines. The Kremlin also dismissed Ukraine’s accusations that Russia is allegedly responsible for the pipeline leaks on Wednesday as “stupid and absurd”. But Washington also responded to hints from Moscow that the United States may be involved in the incidents. Such statements are “ridiculous”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for Russia to be involved in clarifying the incidents. The UN session is expected for Thursday, the deputy head of Russia’s UN mission in New York, Dmitri Polyanski, said on his Telegram channel on Wednesday. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also stated that Russia wanted to request a Security Council meeting over the “provocations” surrounding the pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
Feared act of sabotage
Meanwhile, in the West, there was a growing belief that the leaks at the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines were the result of sabotage. Everything points to a deliberate act, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on behalf of the 27 member states on Wednesday. At the same time, the EU threatened those responsible with sanctions. NATO also spoke of sabotage. Western politicians, however, refrained from blaming. Russia denied any responsibility.
An investigation into the leaks, however, could be a long time in coming. With so much gas in the pipelines, it could take a week or two for the area to calm down enough to investigate the leaks about 80 meters below the surface, Danish minister Bødskov said in Brussels.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
